Ian Bejster, Dexter High School Sophomore, Says Purple Rose Gig 'A Dream Come True'

Dexter High School sophomore Ian Bejster is like most teenage boys. He loves the outdoors, playing sports and hanging out with friends. When he isn't studying or performing with the DHS Marching Band, however, he can be found on stage in local theaters around Washtenaw County.

This summer, Ian, 15, made his professional acting debut in the Purple Rose Theatre's production of , written by Ernest Thompson.

"It's been a great experience," he said. "I'm really learning a lot from the actors at the Purple Rose."

Ian has been acting since the age of 5 — with performances at the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre and Wild Swan Theatre — the latter where he met and befriended Purple Rose director Michelle Mountain, who encouraged him to audition for the role of Billy Ray in On Golden Pond.

Both Ian and Milo Tucker-Meyer, a freshman at Ann Arbor’s Community High School, auditioned for the role last summer. Due to their age, the boys were joint cast in the role and together will perform more than 42 times during the show's run.

Ian admits that working at a professional theater is a new experience that came with its own adjustment period.

"One thing I wasn't used to was the short rehearsal time," he said. "We had about three weeks of rehearsals and one tech day before previews started.  I was nervous at first, but now it's a lot of fun."

He said sharing the role with Milo is a unique opportunity for both boys.

"The character of Billy Ray is different depending on who plays him each night. When I'm not on stage, I get to sit and watch how someone else interprets the character," he said. "There was a little bit of friendly competition."

Ian credits the show's success to fellow cast members John Peakes and Jan Radcliff, who he describes as "a second family" on stage.

"Jan and John are two of the nicest people I've met, and they are so helpful in rehearsals," he said.

Mountain said working with Ian has been a lot of fun.

"Ian has always been fun to work with, but it's been a dream to be watch his growth as an actor during this experience. In rehearsal, I could see the leaps forward that he took as an actor, and it was a joy to be part of that," she said.

While he has plans to join the Dexter High School Drama Club during his junior and senior year, Ian said audiences won't see him at any upcoming shows at the anytime soon.

"Singing is something I would love to learn how to do at some point, but it's not one of my strong areas," he said.

The DHS sophomore said he plans to pursue acting as a career after high school school but also has an interest in studying anesthesiology at the University of Michigan.

In the meantime, he said he's happy just enjoying this experience. Ian added, “I can’t show enough appreciation, especially to (Purple Rose Artistic Director) Guy Sanville and Michelle Mountain for being selected to perform in On Golden Pond, and I know that I will benefit from this experience for the rest of my life. For me, this is truly an experience of a lifetime.”

On Golden Pond runs through Sept. 1. For ticket prices and show times, visit www.purplerosetheatre.org.